Chosen
by TheSage96
Summary: The cats of the clans thought that their troubles were long gone when they defeated the Dark Forest. Now, a new threat looms, and it is up to just a few mouse-brained apprentices to stop it. Can Hawkpaw overcome her disillusionment with her past to help her clan, or will her mistakes continue to be a distraction from her true destiny.
1. Allegiances

**RiverClan**

Leader: Silverstar- pale grey she-cat with blue eyes and a white forepaw. She is a descendant of Mistystar.

Deputy: Dewspots- dark grey tom with paler flecks and amber eyes. (Apprentice- Greypaw: dark grey tom with a fluffy tail and blue eyes.)

Medicine Cat: Redflower- Reddish-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and black stripes. (Apprentice- Stonepaw: Pale grey tom with white paws and amber eyes. Son of Silverstar.)

WARRIORS:

Sunstripes- golden-brown tabby tom with green eyes.

Pebblesplash- broad black she-cat with blue eyes.

Dapplefur- tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. Daughter of Dewspots and Featherflight. (Apprentice- Troutpaw: dark brown tom with white hind paws and a white tail-tip.)

Beechwhisker- dark-grey tom with amber eyes. Son of Dewspots and Featherflight.

Dustshadow- light brown tabby tom with darker grey flecks. (Apprentice- Shadepaw: Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.)

Voleflight- light brown she-cat with blue eyes. A bit nervous.

QUEENS:

Featherflight- silver-she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of Dewspots's kits. (Kits- Icekit, Frostkit)

Mosspool- Dark brown she-cat with blue eyes. (Kits- Reedkit)

ELDERS:

Stormcloud- dark grey tom with two white paws. Former mate of Silverstar.

 **THUNDERCLAN**

Leader: Hollystar- black tom with amber eyes and a white dash on his chest. Descendent of Lionblaze and Cinderheart. (Apprentice- Lionpaw: golden she-cat with one amber eye and one blue eye)

Deputy: Bluecloud- blue-grey she-cat with amber eyes. Descendant of Dovewing and Tigerheart. (Apprentice- Hawkpaw- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes)

Medicine Cat: Berryfur- creamy tom with ginger spots and blue eyes. Brother of Rosecloud.

WARRIORS:

Rosecloud- cream she-cat with blue eyes. Sister of Berryfur.

Bramblestrike- long-furred brown tom with amber eyes. (Apprentice- Sunpaw- dark ginger tom with green eyes and a white tail tip)

Fernwhisker- dark grey tom with long whiskers and one black ring around his tail.

Darkshadow- dark grey tom with blue eyes.

Rockfur- grey and brown tom with green eyes.

Oakfoot- dark ginger tom with large paws and blue eyes. (Apprentice- Swiftpaw- dark brown tom with a white tail-tip and blue eyes.)

Cinderstripes- grey she-cat with darker stripes. Daughter of Hollystar and Rosecloud.

QUEENS:

Maplefur- golden she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Fernwhisker's kits (Kits: Dustkit)

Falconflight- small brown she-cat with golden eyes. Mother of Rockfur's kits (Kits: Hazelkit)

Spottedfern- mottled tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. (Kits: Willowkit, Streamkit, Runningkit)

ELDERS:

Cherryfall- ancient ginger she-cat

 **SHADOWCLAN**

Leader: Ferretstar- Old black and grey tom.

Deputy: Lizardheart- wily black tom with amber eyes. Descendant of Dawnpelt.

Medicine Cat: Dawncloud- cream-and-grey she-cat with bright blue eyes. (Apprentice- Ivypaw- dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes)

WARRIORS:

Grasspelt- long-haired grey tom with blue eyes.

Marshcloud- black she-cat with amber eyes and a white dash on her forehead.

Pinefrost- dark ginger tom

Smokefur- dark grey tom with green eyes. (Apprentice- Sandpaw- pale ginger tom with bright blue eyes)

Blackfur- black tom with blue eyes.

Longshadow- long-legged dark grey she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice- Driftpaw- light brown she-cat with dark blue eyes)

QUEENS:

Iceheart- pure white she-cat with green eyes.

ELDERS:

Stoatfur- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

 **WINDCLAN**

Leader: Hootstar- dark grey tom with amber eyes.

Deputy: Heatherfrost- light brown she-cat with blue eyes. Descendant of Heathertail and Breezepelt.

Medicine Cat- Rabbitleap- pale grey she-cat with blue eyes. (Apprentice- Gorsefrost- pale brown-and-white tom with amber eyes)

WARRIORS:

Crowtail- dark grey she-cat with a black tail.

Eagleclaw- pale golden tom with unusually long front claws. (Apprentice- Whitepaw- small white she-cat)

Leafpelt- long-haired, mottled brown tom with blue eyes (Apprentice- Weaselpaw- ginger she-cat with amber eyes)

Tigerstripe- dark tabby tom with green eyes.

Breezewhisper- pale grey she-cat with green eyes. (Sedgepaw- light brown tom with blue eyes)

Hareleap- pale brown she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice- Grasspaw- dark grey she-cat with amber eyes)

QUEENS:

Leopardspots- pale golden she-cat with green eyes and unusual brown spots. Mother of Hootstar's kits. (Kits- Goldenkit)

ELDERS:

Oatfur- pale brown tabby tom


	2. Prologue

"Bluestar, you can't be serious." Lionblaze insisted as he looked upon the former ThunderClan leader with disbelief in his eyes. The blue-grey warrior bristled for a moment before forcing her fur to flatten. She knew that it was hard for the warrior, so recently deceased, to feel so helpless in StarClan. She dipped her head to the golden-brown tom respectfully.

"I'm afraid so, Lionblaze. We vanquished a major evil when we fought against the Dark Forest, but that was never going to be the end." she answered, tipping her head to one side. The golden tom looked distraught as he looked at the former leader, and the grey she-cat by his side shifted closer to him. A black she-cat on his other side rose and padded to the forefront of the group.

"We did sustain losses, but we all should have known that the peace couldn't last forever. That peace, and many of those who fought to maintain it, has died. This new threat has been coming for a while. I know that many of us have seen it building." her green eyes clouded over as she glanced to where a light brown tabby and a dark grey tom sat side by side, flanks brushing against one another. The she-cat rose, drawing a curious glance from her companion as she stepped up to stand beside her daughter.

"Hollyleaf is right. We have seen the threats building on the horizon. The clouds are coming, and with them will come a mighty storm." Muttering broke out amongst the gathered cats at Leafpool's words as she returned to where Crowfeather sat waiting, and the tom licked her ear encouragingly as she sat. Bluestar nodded at the she-cats, turning back to face a dismayed Lionblaze. The golden tom's ears had flattened, eyes suddenly narrowing.

"We must help them!" his tail lashed, "the clans can't survive the adversity on their own." he rasped. Several cats sprang to their paws and yowled their agreement, but Bluestar simply shook her head.

"I know that your heart is in the right place, Lionblaze, but this is not your destiny." Bluestar's voice softened, and the fur on the tom's neck flattened. As the cats settled back into their respective places, Bluestar lifted her muzzle to the sky, a purr of greeting rolling through her.

"The cats of the remaining clans have joined us. It is no longer my place to speak." she dipped her head to a dark tabby tom, who rose to face the incoming cats, his amber eyes shining.

"Greetings." Bramblestar mewed to the approaching cats. Rowanstar, Onestar, and Reedstar nodded at him. Bluestar settled down between her daughter and son, watching carefully as the leaders approached. Rowanstar returned the greeting with a brisk nod, while Onestar and Reedstar returned the greeting. "You all understand what must be done?" the tabby asked, his amber eyes glittering.

"I think it's mouse-brained, but the stars do not lie." Rowanstar growled, the hostility that Bluestar had seen in him as clan leader when he was still alive showing through. Bramblestar simply nodded, and the blue-grey she-cat felt a rush of pride for her clanmate. Onestar flicked his tail and nodded, wordlessly scanning the crowd of cats, his eyes narrowing as he caught Crowfeather sitting so close to Leafpool. Bluestar watched curiously as the grey warrior lifted his chin in defiance of his former leader, and Bramblestar cleared his throat, distracting all three of them.

"Onestar?" he urged. The light brown tabby sniffed.

"I see why it must be done." he answered shortly. Bramblestar nodded briskly before turning to Reedstar. Bluestar straightened as her daughter's kit opened his mouth to speak.

"I, too, understand what the stars have told us. These cats are the only ones equipped to handle it." he replied calmly. Bramblestar nodded to him, turning back to face the cats.

"It will be uncomfortable for all of them, working with the cats of other clans, but the darkness must be stopped. Every cat we've called upon must have a mentor. They can't do this alone, and their clanmates know nothing of the darkness that can be in this world." Bramblestar raised his voice so that it echoed around the Moonpool.

"Soft, they are." a RiverClan elder grumbled, drawing a rumble of agreement from the cats around him.

"Each cat must have a guide, someone from their clan to help teach them. We must each choose two." Reedstar echoed Bramblestar's sentiments, drawing a rumble of approval. Not to be outdone, Rowanstar rose to speak.

"Each clan must select their own mentors." he rumbled, "who among you will speak for ShadowClan?" A dark she-cat, Ivytail, rose to her paws.

"I will take on the task of training one of our chosen." her low voice rasped, drawing murmurs of surprise and approval. A cream she-cat glanced at the tortoiseshell beside her before also rising.

"We will as well." Dawnpelt spoke up. Rowanstar nodded his approval before sitting beside the other leaders.

"I will mentor to WindClan." a light brown tabby stepped forward, her blue eyes glowing in the starlight. From beside, Leafpool, Crowfeather rose to join Heathertail, his eyes brimming with determination overshadowing the faint resentment there.

"I have not repaid my debt to my clan. I will mentor alongside Heathertail." there was a sorrow to his voice as he took a long look back toward Leafpool, whose eyes were filled with that same emotion. Bluestar jumped, startled out of her observation as her son rose to his paws.

"I will take on the task of mentoring to RiverClan." Stonefur announced, proudly scanning the other cats as Silverstream rose from her position near Greystripe to join him. Bluestar did not miss the expression on Crowfeather's face as he looked past the silver she-cat to the half-clan daughter Silverstream left behind. There was sorrow there too.

"Now, from ThunderClan." Bramblestar urged. Bluestar whipped her head back around to see who would volunteer. For this task, she knew that she was not destined to be a leader. It was no surprise to any cat when Hollyleaf rose again.

"I was never a mentor during my time with the clans, but I wish to be one now." she spoke clearly, as though daring any cat to protest. There were a few grumbles from the other clans, but they quickly shushed themselves as Leafpool got wearily to her paws, taking a long look at Crowfeather.

"I was only a warrior for a short time. StarClan knows this. However, it has been my destiny to walk unconventional paths. I wish to continue this journey now." she lowered her head to Bramblestar, who looked at his mate's sister curiously before nodding.

"Very well. The mentors have been chosen. We must wait, now, until the chosen cats are ready. Walk in their dreams, train them, let them understand that they have a great destiny, but do not reveal it to them until it is time. The chosen cats must have nothing distracting them as they train." he paused before speaking again, his expression hardening. "Go now, train. The fate of the clans depends on it."


	3. Chapter 1

Hawkpaw rose wearily to her paws, stretching tiredly as faint sunlight streamed through the brambles that shielded her den from the outdoors. She surveyed her sleeping denmates with envy for a moment before she shook her head. She was one of the oldest apprentices; it was only right that she be stuck on dawn patrol. Glancing around one last time, she realized that Lionpaw had already left the den, and that she would be late if she didn't leave now. Shaking her head to clear the sleep from her eyes, she padded outside, fluffing her fur against the chill of newleaf. It had been a hard leaf-bare, but the sprouts and fresh growth in the forest looked promising. Catching sight of her mentor's blue-grey pelt as Bluecloud patiently waited for the rest of the patrol, Hawkpaw hurried over. She did _not_ want to be the last cat there. The apprentice looked towards the golden-pelted she-cat with fidgety paws, who was standing next to Bluecloud, and she groaned internally. Lionpaw wasn't that much younger than Hawkpaw, but she still retained all of the excitement of a kit fresh out of the nursery.

"Hi, Hawkpaw! I thought it would take a badger attack to wake you." Lionpaw's whiskers twitched, her mismatched eyes glowing as she looked at her friend. Hawkpaw's grumpiness surged, but she knew that she couldn't take it out on her denmate. Her fur prickled at the mention of a badger attack; the elders had told stories about the attack that had taken the lives of her clanmates so many moons ago, but she shook it off.

"Good morning, Lionpaw, Bluecloud." she dipped her head to her mentor, who returned the nod respectfully.

"Glad to see you up and about." her mentor's mew was brisk, but not unfriendly. It had always been Bluecloud's way, but Hawkpaw had learned a long time ago that she didn't mean anything negative by it.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Hawkpaw's eyes glowed as she replied. WindClan had been scented on their side of the border only a few sunrises ago, and Hawkpaw was reveling in the fact that she might get an opportunity to protect her clan.

"We're just waiting on Rosecloud and Cinderstripes, and then we can go." Out of the corner of he eye, Hawkpaw saw Lionpaw's tail droop at the deputy's words.

"Hollystar can't come?" Lionpaw asked, a small amount of hope flickering in her eyes. Bluecloud's eyes flashed with sympathy before her business-like manner returned.

"I'm afraid not. Berryfur says he's still not over his cough. It looks like the worst of leaf-bare is over, but the new herbs haven't had time to grow yet. We can't have our leader coming down with greencough with the way that tensions are running right now." she turned and greeted Rosecloud as the cream warrior emerged from her den, and Lionpaw's tail drooped again.

"Don't worry, Lionpaw. I'm sure he'll get better soon." Hawkpaw encouraged sympathetically. She didn't know what she would do if Bluecloud was too sick to train her. Lionpaw's tail lashed, and the fur on her neck began to bristle.

"I know he will. But I don't want to fall behind. Hollystar has to know that I'm ready to be a warrior, but he won't be able to if he keeps getting ill." Lionpaw's words were harsh, but Hawkpaw knew that they just came out of concern for her mentor. Soothingly, she brushed her tail along her denmate's flank as Cinderstripes, a young, grey she-cat who had been made a warrior only two moons ago, emerged from the den, her pelt twitching as she tried to rid her fur of scraps of moss.

"You have his mate and daughter on this patrol. Maybe they can report back to Hollystar." Hawkpaw said, but Lionpaw just sniffed, her head falling.

"Maybe." Lionpaw didn't sound convinced, and Hawkpaw felt a surge of sympathy for the she-cat, but she knew that their conversation was over.

"Are you two ready?" Bluecloud asked, looking hard at Hawkpaw, like she had known what the apprentices were talking about. The brown she-cat held her chin high, bounding to rejoin the group. The five exited the camp, and Hawkpaw winced as the brambles of the entrance tunnel snagged on her fur. Some cat would have to remember to press the thorns back into place. Once the light hit her eyes, she sprang from the tunnel and bounded several hare-lengths to head toward the WindClan border, Lionpaw poised beside her. A cough from Bluecloud stopped the two in their tracks.

"What is it?" she asked her mentor, ears burning as she realized that she had done something wrong. Bluecloud's whiskers twitched, but she otherwise didn't show her amusement with the excited apprentices.

"The dusk patrol reported no trouble with WindClan. Whichever cat crossed the border hasn't done it again, and Hollystar doesn't want us antagonizing him until the next Gathering." Lionpaw cocked her head as Bluecloud spoke, confusion crossing her face.

"So where are we patrolling? They're the biggest threat, right?" the golden she-cat asked, her mismatched eyes wide. Cinderstripes twitched her whiskers, and with a growing feeling of dread, Hawkpaw realized where they were going.

"ShadowClan." Bluecloud turned, flanked by her warriors, and the apprentices knew they would have to follow.


	4. Chapter 2

"Are you okay?" Lionpaw whispered to Hawkpaw as the apprentice followed the patrol stiffly. Although she didn't think it was possible, Hawkpaw felt her limbs stiffen even more, and her ears twitched uncomfortably. Of course she wasn't okay! She would never be okay with ShadowClan, not after all of the memories that had taken place for her with that clan. She sighed; Lionpaw wouldn't know about that. The only ones who really knew anything about what had happened were her mother and Sunpaw. Falconflight had been there for her when everything had crumbled around her. In fact, it had been Falconflight who had officially warned her that things were about to take a turn for the worse. Sunpaw really only knew because she had grown close to him, and he was the one cat that she felt deserved an explanation. Sunpaw understood what she was going through, and Sunpaw was the only cat besides Falconflight who could truly sympathize. Hollystar himself could come down and threaten to condemn her to the Dark Forest, and she wouldn't explain what had happened. It had been too much, and Hawkpaw had worked for far too long to move passed it. She glanced to the side and realized that her friend's mismatched eyes were still watching her curiously, and she realized that she had never answered the question.

"Of course I'm okay. I just was worried about WindClan. I know Hollystar doesn't want to provoke the trespasser, but I feel like ignoring him is just going to tell him that we can do it again." her tail lashed against a frond of bracken, causing her mentor to shoot her a warning glare. She glanced back at her denmate to see sympathy coloring Lionpaw's features.

"I agree. But like you said earlier, Hollystar knows what he's doing. Both with my training and with our clan. We just have to trust him." the golden she-cat spoke like a warrior, and Hawkpaw felt her ears grow hot. This cat was two moons younger than Hawkpaw, and yet she accepted the warrior code with far more grace. If Hawkpaw wanted to be a warrior, and she knew that she should be close now, she needed to trust the code and her leader more, regardless of how uncomfortable it was.

"I suppose you're right. ShadowClan just get a bit prickly, and I'm not in the mood for their attitude." she answered lightly. The past was in the past, and it was time that she recognized that. Lionpaw flicked her tail over one of Hawkpaw's ears.

"When _aren't_ ShadowClan prickly?" she teased, and Hawkpaw had to agree with her. She laughed, drawing a stern look from Bluecloud. Hawkpaw snapped her mouth shut; she hadn't realized that they were so close to the border. She opened her mouth again, not to speak, but to taste the air. Her ears flattened automatically as she inhaled the rank stench of the rival clan.

"If we have to share a border with them, the least they could do is not smell like a fox that's been dead for a moon." Lionpaw complained, echoing Hawkpaw's thoughts and drawing an amused glance from Cinderstripes. She wasn't so old that she'd forgotten what it felt like to be an apprentice.

"I'm sure we smell the same to them." Bluecloud mewed sternly, but Hawkpaw could tell that her mentor's heart wasn't in it. Lionpaw fluffed out her fur at the deputy, prancing around the patrol.

"We'd be much scarier; we probably smell like badgers." Lionpaw corrected proudly, and Rosecloud twitched her whiskers. Hawkpaw purred with amusement at her denmate's antics before a fresh stench had her flattening her ears and lowering her voice to a growl.

"ShadowClan." she hissed at the patrol, who turned to face the border. Her hackles raised as a dark grey she-cat stepped into view, amber eyes glowing from the shadows, closely followed by a light brown she-cat who looked barely old enough to leave the nursery.

"Relax. It's just their patrol." Bluecloud ordered her apprentice, and Hawkpaw lowered the fur, still keeping her claws unsheathed. A dark grey tom, who Hawkpaw recognized from gatherings as Smokefur, stepped into view, and Hawkpaw felt her stomach drop.

"Pretty poor patrol if it consists of two warriors and a kit." Lionpaw's voice carried across the border, and the the small she-cat flattened her ears, blue eyes wide. She looked behind her for someone, and Hawkpaw's sense of dread grew as the final cat on their patrol stepped into view.

The pale ginger apprentice's blue eyes glittered arrogantly as he looked down at the ThunderClan patrol, and Hawkpaw felt the fur along her spine instinctively raise as her claws dug into the earth. Beside her, Lionpaw scoffed.

"Two warriors, a kit, and a scrawny apprentice." she corrected herself, and Hawkpaw resisted the urge to cuff her on the ear, even though internally, she was feeling just as nasty.

"Driftpaw was only made an apprentice three sunrises ago. What's your excuse?" the ginger tom called back, and Hawkpaw let out a low hiss, drawing a warning glance from her mentor.

"Greetings, Longshadow, Smokefur. We are no threat to your borders; we're just the dawn patrol." Bluecloud called briskly over the border. The tiny apprentice named Driftpaw backed slowly away from the border markings, her soft fur fluffed against the stares of the ThunderClan cats, and Hawkpaw suppressed a growl of disgust. Why wasn't this kit still in the nursery?

"We are well aware," Smokefur taunted, glaring across the cats before his gaze settled on Hawkpaw, "we thought it would be an easy lesson to show Driftpaw the border, and Sandpaw needed a break from the duties that actually take energy." The tom examined the ThunderClan patrol patronizingly, as though unconcerned that he was outnumbered. Rage fueled Hawkpaw as she took several steps forward, flanked by Lionpaw.

"Lucky for us, ThunderClan apprentices don't tire out. They're always ready to serve their clanmates." Cinderstripes beat her to it, and Hawkpaw's rage broke for a moment as she looked at the warrior in surprise.

"Yes." Lionpaw hissed her agreement and eyed the undersized apprentice with an undisguised threat in her eyes. Bluecloud shot both cats a warning glance, and Rosecloud brushed her tail over her daughter's fur to smooth it.

"In ShadowClan, we say that if apprentices aren't tired, they aren't working hard enough." Longshadow shot back, drawing a growl of approval from Sandpaw.

"It's how _ShadowClan_ keeps their cats loyal and prepared." the emphasis was not lost on Hawkpaw who felt her blood run cold.

"ThunderClan doesn't need the incentive. Are petty words really what you want to teach your apprentices?" Now, Rosecloud stepped forward, a barely concealed growl in her voice. Smokefur pulled back his lips to reveal his teeth, and Sandpaw unsheathed his claws. Hawkpaw crouched, ready to launch into battle, but Bluecloud simply flicked her tail to stop them.

"ThunderClan also has better things to do than listen to the insecure ramblings of ShadowClan's youngest warriors. We have a border to patrol to complete." without a backwards glance at the grey warriors and their apprentices, Bluecloud swept away to finish the patrol, expecting her clanmates to follow. Smokefur signaled for his patrol as well, and with a squeak, Driftpaw pelted after him, until only Sandpaw was left standing on the border, his eyes glittering with malice. Hawkpaw felt her heart catch in her throat as he turned, looked over his shoulder, and scratched earth at she and Lionpaw, as if he had just finished making dirt. Then, without looking at the pair, he followed his mentor until his pale ginger pelt disappeared from sight.


End file.
